Flexible coupling



Odi. 1.0, 1944. w. J MOSER 2,360,149

FLEXIBLE COUPLIN G y Filed Jan. 5, 1943 IN V EN TOR.

y WERNERJ/wosE/L :l l 2 :i 1 15 Qpyoy y Patented Oct. 10, 1944 FLEXIBLE COUPLING p Werner J. Moser, McMasterville-Beloeil, Quebec,

Canada Application January 5, 1943, Serial No. 471,332

3 Claims.

`This invention relates to flexible couplings, and more particularly to an improvement therein which has for its object to provide a simpler and better coupling than heretofore proposed.

The invention consists in the combination of two parallel discs disposed opposite` to each other each disc being secured to a shaft and the discs being joined by coupling members which extend from the periphery of the discs radially inwards substantially to the axis thereof.

The improvement consists in the extended coupling members beginning at the axis, or as near thereto as is practical, and terminating substantially at the peripheryof the discs. These coupling members are substantially rectangular in cross section and of the same cross sectional area throughout, and the grooves for the coupling members extending from a disc have the same conguration as the extending portions. Such coupling members may be placed either in straight or curved grooves.

The invention consists further in combining means with a coupling of this kind for preventing the coupling members from being thrown out by centrifugal force during the rotation of the discs.

The Vinvention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof will be shown in the drawing, and the invention will be nally pointed out in the claims. o

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 shows a side view of the improved coupling;

y 2 shows a plan view or a side View ofthe same; Y

Fig. 3 shows a vertical central section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1; y 1

Fig. 4 shows a top or side view with the coupling discs separated from each other;

Fig. `5 is a view of one coupling disc taken from line 5,.-.5 of Fig. 4;

Fig-6 is a detailedview showing a differentY form of holding device; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed vieri/showing the form of holding device shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8 is an end view of a disc of modied form in whic'hAt-he'coupling members are curved.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the variousviews.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 4, the two coupling discs I0 and II are spaced from each other; each disc has a hub I2 and I3, respectively, and each hub is secured to a shaft end I4 or I5. Preferably one of these hubs, as for instance I2, is xedly secured to the shaft I4, and the other hub I3 is secured against rotation on the shaft I5 by means of some`suitable device, as for instance a key I6 entering a slOt of the shaft. This arrangement permits the hub with its disc II to slide longitudinally on the shaft I5, but prevents the hub I3 and disc Il from rotating in respect to the shaft I5. Mecha* nism of this kind is well known.

The improvement "forming the basis of this invention consists in providing the opposite faces of the two discs I0 and II with grooves 20 which extend from the periphery 2| of each disc as near to the. axis of each disc, the grooves extending as far as possible towards this axis 22 as the diameterof the shaft I5permits. The opposed faces of the disc are 11e apart. The inserted couplings should not have a` slacktting. The grooves 20 of the disc I I have a certain depth indicated by 23` of Fig. 3 which depth is about one-v half of the thickness of the coupling member to be. inserted into the groove; the otherdisc Hl has groovesexactly like those just described of the disc I I, the depth of which grooves indicated by 24 in Fig. 3 being substantially the same as the depth 23 of the disc'l I and this, depth 2 4 being about one-half of the thickness of the coupling member. The disc I0 again has its grooves extending from the periphery of the disc as far inwardly as permissible by the shaft. In both discs a large number of grooves are provided. Eight are shown in the drawing, Fig. 5, though the grooves may be from 4 to 15 in number, in which latter case the inwards ends of the grooves are so close together as to prevent any further groove of the Same Width from being utilized. It will be noted that the inner portions of the grooves 20 are curved or rounded in the form ofa semi-circle and the center of curvature of these rounded ends are 0f 2. circle with the axis 22 as a4 center, andin the case of a number of grooves such as 15, the side portions. of the semi-circles almost toucheach-other. When the number of grooves are. increased from 15 to about 36, then the inner ends ofthe grooves are on concentric circles.

Withthe two discs lll and H formed in the manner described with the grooves extending from the periphery as far inwardly as possible, andpreferably withthe largest number of grooves possible, and with the depth of eachgroove about one-half the thickness of the coupling member, coupling members 25 of compact rubber belting or the like are slidably inserted into the registering grooves of the two discs and thus form a connection between the two discs. These coupling members are rectangular in cross section and of the same cross sectional area throughout, sok

that substantially all of the coupling member parts which project beyond the disc register with the grooves. To hold these coupling members in registering grooves a suitable retaining or a suitable binding member may be provided, as shown in Fig. 6. A device of the kind shown in Fig. 6ymay be readily applied and readily taken off and serves to securelyhold the coupling members in position. One form of holding member is shown in Fig. 1, and is shown sepaber 25.

In Fig. 8, the disc 45 has grooves 46 which are curved and extend from the periphery of the disc close to the shaft l5. Here, the holding ring is not necessary,

It will be seen that the herein important improvement made is the cooperation of the multiplicity oi demi-grooves in Veach of the opposed faces of the coupling discs with the couplingmembers, which grooves have a depth of aboutV one-half of the coupling member to be inserted into the registering grooves and Ywhich grooves extend from the peripheral p'ortion of the discs inwardly as far as possible. p Y

The advantages of this improvediiexible coupling is itsV simple design-its lowfprce compared with its capacity. The coupling will'not wearr out, and no spare parts have to be purchased, since any user of this coupling has the spare parts right in his own plant. Almost anything can be used as intermediate parts-besidesrubber belting, such as fibre, good hardwood, leather etc.

Rubber or leather belting is preferred. lAnother- Y Y advantage lies in the fact that intermediate coupling members can be changed in a short time,

without moving either one or both parts of cou- "pling, nor the motor or machine. The discs can be made of plastic or other suitable material and from 4 to about'36 grooves. Spring rings are applied tohold strips in place up to a revolution of 800 R. P. M. and for higher speed a cap protection or angular retaining ring is arranged which can easily be attached Vand removed. This coupling will absorb all vibration, and the bearings of the driver and the driven members of the machine will remain'cool,

The improved coupling is constructed With a solid back Aand grooves, machined from the Yout,- side edge of each half as far as the bore for the shaft. With this coupling there is never any danger'of breakage in spite of the fact that the number of grooves is only limited by the area of the face of the coupling halves. This coupling can take as many grooves as possible without impairing the strength of the coupling in any way or form. As a matter of fact, it would be possiblerto machinel more grooves (shorter ones of l course) between the present grooves without impairing the strength ofYV the coupling. Y Having the grooves cutv as long as possible, they will be filled with a Iiexible link its entire length, in this way permitting a coupling that can transmit more I-I. P, than may be expected, as all vibration and strain on driver and driven members is eliminated.

I have described several forms of my invention, but obviously various changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set out in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a iexible coupling, the combination of a disc having curved grooves, a shaft xed to said disc for rotation therewith, a second disc having curved grooves facing the curved grooves of the first-named disc, a second shaft connected with said second disc, for rotation therewith, and coupling members in the curved grooves of one disc adapted to engage the curved grooves of the other disc upon the grooved faces of the discs being brought into contiguity, the curved grooves and coupling members being radially disposedand extending from the periphery of the discs to the central part thereof.

2. In va Yiiexible coupling having parallel discs each having grooves therein extending radially from the peripheries of said discs and registering with each other, the grooved adjacent faces` of the discs being contiguous to each other, the com-v bination of two such opposed discs having op posed surfaces substantially in conta-ctwith each other each having its grooves extending from the periphery of the discs towards and terminating proximate the center thereof, said registering grooves having the same depth throughout and being rectangular in cross -section and having their inward ends proximate with each other and having throughout the same cross-sectional area, and separate solid coupling members of rectangu- Y lar shape and inserted in said grooves and ex? tending outwardly from the face of thedisc of a length, width and depth of the opposed registering grooves having throughout the same crosssectional area. Y

3. In a flexible coupling, the combination of a disc having grooves, a shaft xed to said disc for rotation therewith, a second disc facing the grooves of the first-named disc, all of said grooves being rectangular in cross-section and of the same depth throughout a second shaft connectedA of the discs being substantially in contact with each other the inward terminations of the grooves and coupling members being so close as to be valmost in contact withV each other, the said grooves having throughout the same cross-sectionalarea, said solid' coupling members extending from the face of the disc the length, width and vdepth of Y the opposed registering grooves andiilling the same, -the said grooves having throughout the same cross-sectional area. i'

y WERNER J. MOSER 

